With a South African accent you may hear more of an aw sound. Shame is a typical South African expression for sympathy or admiration. Some vowels transcribed as /e/ may sound longer, or some transcribed as /eɪ/ sound more steady (a sound like /eː/). Used in reference to an older uncle or even someone who is not your uncle but in an authority position. 10 South African Slang Words And Phrases You Should Know If you’re visiting South Africa any time soon, it’s useful to know a few turns of phrase to help you along the way. Sho my bru! Thanks to the variety of languages spoken in South Africa, locals tend to borrow words from each language, resulting in slang words or phrases known as ‘South Africanisms’. The two main phonological features that mark South African English as distinct are the behaviour of the vowels in KIT and PALM. Extend any of the syllables for full effect. Indian South African English includes a " basilect ", " mesolect ", and " acrolect ". It’s more a form of broken Afrikaans with a strong accent. !” / “Haikona, when?! This does not mean they’ll do it immediately, but rather a bit later. The symbols used for several of the South African vowels are less precise than their use in other varieties. For example, in some words the /ɪ/ vowel will sound closer to /ə/ whilst still being in a stressed syllable. Slap chips [slup chips] is a slang phrase for deep-fried potato chips sold at takeaway seafood shops, grocery stores and restaurants. The PALM vowel is characteristically back in the General and Broad varieties of SAE. Otherwise, let’s jump straight into some basic Afrikaans words. These terms describe varieties of a given language on a spectrum of similarity to the colonial version of that language: the "acrolect" being the most similar. Often used in succession, these two words are used to express agreement or confirmation with someone or something. A braai is a popular social event in South Africa and even has its own dedicated public holiday, known as National Braai Day, which coincides with Heritage Day celebrated annually on September 24. Now, you know what a “dorp” is, as well as it means when somebody says “now now”. Example: “I’m going to a jol tonight!” / “I’m having a jol!” / “It was such a jol!”. With 11 different languages being spoken throughout South Africa, having a translation guide on hand will not only make it easier to understand what you’re hearing, but will also make mingling with the locals a lot more fun. A term used to describe a large brown millipede. It is used to refer to a particular species of zebra that became extinct in the 1800s. A confusing phrase for non-locals meaning sometime soon – sooner than just now but quicker than right now. The vast majority of South African whites grew up speaking either Afrikaans or English as their first language. Often used when talking about food, this term can be used as a verb, meaning to eat, or when talking about the food itself. South African English South African Dictionary Afrikaans. The first friend brought a canteen so he wouldn’t die of thirst. Make sure you roll the ‘r’ when pronouncing this word. Required fields are marked *. Example: “Jislaaik, you gave me a fright!”. It’s best when the bread is soft and fresh and the curry is extra spicy. In some words, /ʌ/ and /æ/ may also sound very similar to each other. A Vegetarian Goes Fishing in South Africa, How Volunteering in Zimbabwe Changed Me for Life, Why We Overshare: Social Media, Voyeurism, and Travel, South African Wine Tasting: A Vine Romance, Why South Africa is Perfect for Solo Travel, What I Learned About Myself on My Return to Cape Town, Packing Tips for the Bridge to Nowhere Hike, Visit Sri Lanka: The Real Deal with Jordan McMullen. Biltong is a favorite South African snack made from dried and salted meat, similar to beef jerky. That said, it’s still foreign sounding, and exotic is exotic when it comes to this American’s ears. 4. Quagga is pronounced as Kwa-gh-uh is another South African slang word. This is the Afrikaans equivalent to “Oh man!” and is often used at the beginning of a sentence to express pity, resignation or irritation. Click To Tweet. ‘Ag, no man!’, or ‘Ag, let’s go.’, Skinner [skuhn-her] is Afrikaans slang for gossip. If you’re visiting South Africa any time soon, it’s useful to know a few turns of phrase to help you along the way. ‘Ag, shame man, poor girl!’ ‘Shame, he’s so cute.’. Braai [br-eye] is a widely used noun and verb for an outdoor ‘barbecue’ where meat is cooked over a fire or coals. Shebeen [sha-bean] is an illegal tavern derived from Irish (sibín). Email us at editor@pinkpangea.com for information about sharing your experience and advice with the Pink Pangea community. After you have invariably enjoyed whatever you’ve eaten, drunk or experienced in South Africa, you thank the person responsible, and almost without exception, will be told that it was a pleasure. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Derived from the Zulu word meaning “definitely not!” This word is usually expressed on its own, at the start or end of a sentence when something seems unbelievable. Example: The ‘g’ is pronounced as ‘ch’ in the back of the throat (think Scottish “Loch”) and is used to describe a bug or insect. However, as a spoken language, English has taken on several peculiarities as it has become mixed with a variety of accents and words taken from other languages. I was born in SA but I'm 18 now. A term used to describe a dried sausage, very similar to biltong or the German bratwurst or mettwurst. Pink Pangea Writing Workshops | Online Workshops, Amp Up Your Blog & Website: An Online Workshop, Tips for Women Travelers in the Philippines, Czech Republic Travel Tips: Tansu’s Take on Health Safety & Romance, Tips for Women Travelers in American Samoa, Tips for Women Travelers in Solomon Islands. We saw loads of antelope!” “Is it, hey!”. Ha! It is usually made from beef, game and even ostrich. South African diphthongs are pretty different as well. Over the centuries some words from native and other languages also became part of the South African English vocabulary. Are few ways that a South African English as south african accent phrases first language in. Made with spicy minced meat, baked in the past and in rural areas than in metropolitan areas Atlanta... Sauce and vinegar broken Afrikaans with a strong accent in Africa is more related British. About sharing your experience and advice with the Pink Pangea community for information about sharing your experience and with! 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